Re: Subunits of packages vs. subunits of subprograms

[dewar@cs.nyu.edu (Robert Dewar)]

Tuck said

"In any case, our AdaMagic(tm) front end implements the approach Robert
mentions, namely that subunits nested only in packages are "truly"
separately compiled, whereas subunits nested in any non-package are
"inlined" at the point of the stub.  If the subunit is not available
when this "inlining" would take place, we issue a warning that the enclosing
unit will need to be recompiled when the subunit is available.  We don't
consider this an error, and the (pre)linker will by default perform
the needed recompilation if necessary."

OK, so interesting that we both agree on not trying to handle subunits
nested in non-packages truly separately. One can imagine programs that
would be badly affected by this (I know of one, the old Alsys
front end technology which used a separate procedure for each pass
(remember that in that compiler, all local access types were automatically
cleaned up on scope exit, so this arrangement makes reasonable sense), but
in practice there don't seem to be other examples like this.

As to the procedures, GNAT would be very similar. I am not sure about
the proper default, I am not sure I like the recompilation structure
being affected by what happens to be around when you compile, but in
any case gnatmake would work as Tuck describes their prelinker working,
it would complete any required compilations.